The US intelligence community assesses that China doesn’t want a military conflict over Taiwan even as it’s determined to bring the independently governed island under its control, officials told a House of Representatives hearing Thursday.
(Bloomberg) — The US intelligence community assesses that China doesn’t want a military conflict over Taiwan even as it’s determined to bring the independently governed island under its control, officials told a House of Representatives hearing Thursday.
“It’s not our assessment that China wants to go to war,” Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the House Intelligence Committee as part of an annual briefing on worldwide threats faced by the US. Central Intelligence Agency Director William Burns testified at the same hearing that President Xi Jinping has been “sobered” by US and allied support for Ukraine in response to Russia’s invasion a year ago.
“That’s something that President Xi has to weigh as he comes out of Zero Covid, tries to restore Chinese economic growth, tries to engage with the rest of the global economy,” Burns said. At the same time, Burns said he would “never underestimate the ambitions of the current Chinese leadership in that regard or their determination” to achieve reunification with Taiwan.
As in similar hearing before the Senate on Wednesday, Thursday’s hearing highlighted just how grave the US considers the threat posed by China. Xi’s government has “shrunk the gap” when it comes to technological competition with the US, National Security Agency Director Paul Nakasone told lawmakers.
At the same time, the testimony from Burns and Haines offered a counterpoint to lawmakers — and some military officials — that China is primed to invade the island, possibly as early as 2027.
Asked whether the US should drop its longstanding position of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan, Haines cited President Joe Biden’s repeated statements that the US would defend against a Chinese attack.
Biden’s aides have repeatedly said his comments don’t reflect a change in the US position, but “I think it is clear to the Chinese what our position is, based on the president’s comments,” Haines told lawmakers.
If war does break out, Haines warned that it would have “enormous economic implications,” especially if Taiwan’s semiconductor production is disrupted.
“The chips that come out of Taiwan are present in virtually every category of electronic devices around the world,” she said.
China Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said Friday at a regular press briefing in Beijing that “no individual shall ever underestimate the firm resolve, staunch will and strong capability of the Chinese government and people to defend our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The US should “stop upgrading substantive exchanges” with Taiwan, she added.
(Updates with comment from China’s Foreign Ministry.)
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